"You aren't actually Eternia, are you?"
The Tide's words hung in the air between them, heavy as a wet blanket. The perfect beach around them remained frozen in time, waves stuck mid-crash like someone had hit pause on reality, seagulls hanging in the sky like they'd forgotten how gravity worked.
Grace's first instinct was to keep bullshitting. To maintain the charade that had gotten her this far and her light-dick deep into a water goddess.
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm—"
"Don't." The Tide held up a hand, her expression caught between disappointment and acceptance, like someone who'd just found out their favorite merchant in the village was closing down. "I felt it. When we connected. You're... different."
[Well, crap. Cover blown.]
Grace sighed, running a hand through her damp white hair.
"Fine. You got me. I'm not Eternia. My name is Grace."
